2015 Dominique Lafon Bourgogne Blanc, 12-bottle Lot

Dominique Lafon is managing director of Domaine des Comtes Lafon, one of Burgundy’s most distinguished estates. But since 2008 Dominique has also been producing very limited production wines under his own label. Though his company is officially a negociant, most of the Dominique Lafon wines are domaine bottlings from vineyards owned or leased by Domaine des Comtes Lafon. Dominique Lafon offers Premier Cru and village whites from Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, and Premier and village reds from Volnay. Vinous has noted that Dominque Lafon’s style with his own label is “a little bit more laid back and restrained” in comparison to the traditional style of Comtes Lafon. Vinous added that Dominique’s “first vintages are quite promising.”

Burgundy in eastern France is, if not the most famous and storied wine region in the world, certainly one of the top two or three. Its winemaking history dates from the Roman era, and its relatively small size and reputation for outstanding wines means that the best wines of Burgundy are generally among the world’s most prized – and costly – wines. At about 110,000 vineyards acres, Burgundy is only 40% as big as Bordeaux, and its system of dividing up vineyards into small, family-owned parcels makes understanding the wines of Burgundy a life-long pursuit for Burgundy enthusiasts. The three main grapes of Burgundy are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay. Burgundy is a long, narrow, north-south running region consisting of five main areas. They are Chablis in the north, Côte D’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais, which is just above the Rhone Valley. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown throughout most of Burgundy but Gamay is grown primarily in Beaujolais. The appellation system and rules about labeling can be confusing and the system classifies regions, villages and even individual vineyards. Grand Cru is the most prestigious appellation category, followed by Premier Cru and many village and regional appellations.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.